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Exoplanet Exploration

Exoplanet Exploration. James Kelly Mitchell Kirshner Adam Morabito Matt Rote. Exoplanets. Planets outside of our solar system Need to differentiate from other celestial bodies. Criteria: Must orbit star or star remnants.

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Exoplanet Exploration

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  1. Exoplanet Exploration James Kelly Mitchell Kirshner Adam Morabito Matt Rote

  2. Exoplanets • Planets outside of our solar system • Need to differentiate from other celestial bodies. • Criteria: • Must orbit star or star remnants. • Mass must be less than limiting mass for thermonuclear reaction of deuterium. • Mass to size ratio is the same as our solar system.

  3. Why do they matter? • Understanding our solar system • Finding habitable planets • Search for signs of possible life • Isolate our search for intelligent life

  4. So Far... • 1988: First discovered exoplanet around Gamma Cephei. • Programs: • SuperWasp • Kepler mission • ESPRESSO • HATNet Project • 888 planets in 693 systems • Most larger than Earth • 2,781 candidates • 28 potentially habitable exoplanets • 38 potentially habitable exomoons

  5. The Future • Automated Planet Finder • Terrestrial Planet Finder • Gaia mission • New Worlds Mission

  6. Terrestrial Planet Finder Proposed in 2002 Approved in 2004 Suspended in 2007 Goals Find Extrasolar Planets Characterize Planets Chemical Signatures of Life Architectures TPF-I TPF-C

  7. TPF-I Infrared Astronomical Interferometer Multiple Small Telescopes Uses Nulling Drawback: Limited Resolution

  8. TPF-C Visible Light Coronagraph Large Optical Telescope Uses Special Optics Comparison to Hubble

  9. Budget Entire Budget = $1 billion Assumption: TPF-I = $500 million TPF-C = $500 million Comparison to Hubble Replacement Fund TPF-C, Not TPF-I

  10. Kepler Mission • March 7, 2009 • 100,000 stars near Cygnus • Predict # of Earth-like planets in galaxy • Transit Method • Small Planets • Photometer

  11. Malfunction/Budget • This past Sunday • $18.7 Million • $600 Million • 2016 • Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite

  12. Hubble Space Telescope • April 24, 1990 • High powered optics • Fomalhaut b • 2004 • Decades of data • James Webb Space Telescope

  13. Budget • $96.3 Million • Servicing missions • Expected to function until 2013 • 2018

  14. Conclusion • Exoplanet Importance • The Past • The Future

  15. Programs and Cuts • TPF • Kepler • Hubble

  16. References • Achenbach, Joel. "NASA’s Kepler space telescope malfunction may end hunt for planets." Health and Science. The Washington Post, 15 05 2013. Web. 16 May 2013. • Hoim, Margus. "Current Spacecraft System Design."Terrestrial Planet Finder. 29 Jan 2011. Web. 15 May 2013. <http://www.terrestrial-planet-finder.com/design.html> • Raeburn, Paul. "Detect Alien Life on a Tight Budget."Discover Magazine. Kalmbach Publishing Co. 17 Sep 2012. Web. 15 May 2013. <http://discovermagazine.com/2012/sep/25-detect-alien-life-on-a-tight-budget#.UZQewSvwLOF> • United States of America. National Aeronautics and Space Administration . FY 2014 PRESIDENT’S BUDGET REQUEST SUMMARY. 2013. Print. <http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/740512main_FY2014 CJ for Online.pdf>.

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